In the prior art, such connectors conventionally include means whereby an axis or fastening element such as a pin, carried by the windshield wiper blade, are received in the connector itself, which also usually includes means for latching the connector to the windshield wiper arm. In the particular case in which the arm has a bent-over or curved end, usually in the form of a hook, the wiper blade has an opening through which this curved end can be inserted, with the transverse fastening element being arranged to extend across this opening so that the arm and the blade are articulated together. The connector has a longitudinal profile which is substantially U-shaped, defining two branches and adapted to fit within the hollow of the hooked end portion of the arm. Such a connector includes both a latching means for latching the connector on to the arm, and the above mentioned means for receiving the fastening element or pin, with these receiving means being open on the side opposite to the base of the U and being so arranged as to enable the pin to be introduced and then retained.
The latching means are carried by one of the branches of the U-shaped connector, and may for example comprise a projecting lug which cooperates with a recess provided on the hooked end of the arm and facing towards this lug.
In order to permit any action to be carried out on the blade, for example when it requires to be replaced, U. S. Pat. No. 4,179,767 for example discloses gripping means which enable the arm and the blade to be separated from each other. These gripping means are arranged at the end of the branch of the U-shaped connector which carries the latching means, so as to project in such a way that it is possible to release the lug manually from the associated recess which is provided on the hooked end of the arm, by deformation of the branch towards the other branch.
A drawback of this arrangement is that it is necessary to form the branch with a transverse section, carrying the latching means together with the gripping means, such as to give the branch an elasticity which will, of necessity, have to be a compromise between the different degrees of elasticity called for by three conflicting requirements. These are firstly the engagement, retention and release of the lug from within the recess in the arm; secondly the need to avoid too large a manual force having to be exerted on the gripping means in order to unlock the arm and the blade from each other; and thirdly the need to prevent the gripping means from being accidentally acted on so as to dislodge the blade. The resulting compromise inevitably results in the gripping means being somewhat hard to operate, since the prime requirement that must be satisfied is that the elasticity has to be correct for the latching means itself.